Big blow for Indians looking to return via Sri Lanka

Indian nationals looking to return to Oman and other countries of residence can no longer travel through Sri Lanka, after the island country stopped issuing visas to them, thereby preventing them from completing their quarantine processes there before flying to their destination.

Since Oman had banned passengers flying directly from India, as well as Bangladesh and Pakistan, into the country, an alternative route had been set up, through which people could spend a 14-day quarantine period in Sri Lanka, and then leave for the Sultanate, where they would need to quarantine again.

However, Sri Lanka’s Civil Aviation Authority has decided to stop issuing visit visas to passengers arriving from India, taking away from them this route of leaving the country, further reducing the options available to those who wish to leave the subcontinent.

Circular

“In accordance with instructions received from the health authorities of Sri Lanka due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, it is hereby directed that passengers travelling from India will not be permitted to disembark in Sri Lanka with immediate effect,” said a circular signed by Captain Themiya Abeyawickrama, the Director General of Civil Aviation and CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka.

“The aforementioned restriction will be reviewed as early as possible, based on instructions from local health authorities,” he added. A travel agent operating across the Sultanate said he had been fielding calls from passengers who had tried to frantically make last-minute changes to their bookings. Unfortunately, however, there are very few alternatives available to him.

“Sri Lanka has stopped issuing visas because they are concerned about the Indian variant of COVID-19 entering their country,” said Faiyaz Khan, general manager for Travel Point.

“They are also dealing with the pandemic, and they don’t want their hospitals possibly overwhelmed by this strain. They have also seen an increase in COVID cases lately.

“We had all the agreements lined up with the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, the packages were ready, we had many people willing to take them as well, but now we need to put all of this on hold until the situation can be resolved,” he added.

One of the alternatives available to Indian nationals, he said, was the Maldives, but the Indian Ocean country also decided to stiffen visit rules for people travelling from India: passengers can quarantine there, but only on islands not inhabited by locals.